Choke



Patented May 26, 1942 Uir star ortica CHOKE Frank W. Baureschmidt,'Galena Park, Tex., as-y signor to Larsen-Bolos Tool Company,Incorporated, Houston, Tex.

application August 19, 1939, serial No'. 299,975'

11 c1aims. (c1. 259-4)V with each other, whereby the gas absorbs a largequantity of oil.

A further object of the invention is to provide animproved choke,wherein the well stream is forced to flow at auniform rate and pressure,whereby turbulence within the producing formation is substantiallyeliminated, and any salt water present in said formation is allowed toreach a quiescent state thereby preventing said Vsalt water from flowingup the well bore.

globules of the gas and oilV and repeating this operation so that thegas absorbs a large portion of the oil particles and an atomized oil'andgas iluid results.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device,wherein the ow of the fluid `through said device is such that the gaswill be retarded, and the oil will mix more freely there-A with, therebyresulting in reduction in the gas free and an increase in oil in themixture which results.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved chokewhich is so constructed and has passages therein of suiiicient diameteras to allow oil to flow therethrough in adequate quantities, and'at the'saine time offers the required resistance to impede the ilow of gasthrough the said choke and thereby create a back pressure on theproducing formation and allow a liquid level to be built up within thewell bore.

A still further object of the invention :is to provide an improvedchoke, wherein a well iiuid is caused to iiow in counter-current,concentric, upwardly, spiral paths, which results in two opposedupwardly directed strearns, whereby the action of each stream is` toimpede or. cushion the flow of the other' stream, thereby choking backthe gas into the well formation.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with other features of the invention. Y

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specication and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in

which an example of the invention isi shown, and

wherein: g

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of a device constructedin accordance with the invention. 1 Y v Figure 2 is a horizontal crosssectional view taken on the line 2'-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal' cross sectional ViewY taken on the line 3 3Vof Figure 1.

Figure 4 isa horizontal cross sectional viewtaken on the line 4 4! ofFigure l,

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 5 5 ofFigure 1. l Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view of anotherform of the invention'.

The numeral I0 designates al choke which may be connected in a string oftubing, as is the usual .practice in the cil industries, lor may liepositionjed in any suitablelocation when or where lchoke is desired. Thechoke includes a tubular sleeve cr housing .il which.. has its lupperand lowerV ends open and internally screw-threaded. A box l2 is inscrew-threaded engagement with the upper end of the sleeveand has itsupper end internally lscrew-threaded, so that itmay be attached to astring of tubing (notshown). Depending from its lower end', below theexternally screw-threaded opening, is a collar i3. Abutting the loweredge of the collar is a split circular block or body I4, whichsnuglyengages the inner Walls of the sleeve l I. The numeral I5 designates`the'upper portion of the block, and the numeral i6 the lower portion.Thetwo portions of the block have hemispheres milled out in theirabutting faces to provide concaved areas so as to form a central chamberil in the body when the two faces are in contact. The. portion I5 isprovided with a plurality of inclined passages i8 which communicatebetween the bore off the box i2 and the chamber l7','said passagesentering the chamber tangentiallyaround the concavedarea. The portion,i5 of 'the block Hij has a central recess I9 on its lower'exposed end.A plurality of inclined'passages 23 are also provided'in the portion IEandare so arranged thatv they lie in the same radius from the center ofsaid block but are so inclined that the discharge therefrom will bedirected against the concaved Varea of theupper portion of chamber I?.This discharge is inv, tended to strike the concave area above theelevation of the-lower ends of the passages i8. It is pointed out thatuid passing upwardly must A split circular block 2| is disposed belowVranged as to lie in a circle about the verticalVlr axis ofthe block.Said passages extend from,

the upper surface of the portion 22 and have their ,lower endscommunicating tangentially Y with the chamber- 24. The upper surface ofthe portion 22 is provided with acentral recess 26, while the lowerportion 23 of the block 2| is elongated and has its lower portionexternally screwthreaded, so as to engage within the'lower end ofthesleeve II. The lowerend of the portion softhat a screen`2'l (notshown) or any other suitable structure may be attached thereto.' Acentral axial opening 28 is provided in the portion 23 extends'below thelower edge of the sleeve Il,

23l of the block 2| fand communicates with 'the chamber 24, said openingliavingfits lower portion 29 enlarged and internally screw-threaded, so

that a suitable ow beanv 30 may engage therein. t -Said bean is providedwith the usual axial opening 3| therein. Confined between the portionjI6 of the block I4, and the-portion 22 of the block 2 I, is an elongaterod 32 which has its upper end engaging in the recess I9 of the portionI6 and its lower end engaging within the recess 2S of the portion 22. f

A helical spring 33 slidably engages around the rod 32 and is connedbetween the blocks I4 and 2|. It is pointed out that said spring iswound in a clock-wise direction. It is pointedout that tion of theexposed openings ofthe passages 25 on the upper surface of the portion22. Another helical spring34, which is wound in a counterclock-wisedirection, slidably engages around the spring 33 and also slidablyengages the inner wall of the sleeve II. The spring 34 is also confinedbetween the blocks I4 and 2|. The lower convolutions of the springs 33and 34 havev their adjacent faces cut away so as Ato provide a ow spacetherebetweenl and form an annular `opening 35 (Figure 5), which permitsfluid to flow upwardly from the passages 25 and continue its flow outinto the'spacesbetween convolutions between the springs.v Thus, `aportion of .said fluid will enter thev spaces between the convolutheowing gas. As will be noted in the drawing, the spaces between theconvolutions of the springs 33 and 34 vare of substantial cross-sectionsand depend on the counter-current flow of the split streams to furnishthe resistance necessary to choke back the gas.

In operation the choke I0 is' set within the well bore in the usualmanner. Fluid containing gas and oil will flow up through the opening 3|of the bean 30, obviously being retarded by said opening, and pass intothe opening 28 from where it will flow into the chamber 24, therebycausing the uid to be'agitated. It is pointed out that after the fluidhas been flowing through vthe device for a period of time, the chamber24 may or may not acquire and retain a constant liquid level dependingon the rate of flow. Thus, uid flowing into said device through theopening 28 must pass through the chamber 24 and the liquid therein,whereby oil particles present will be broken up and intermixed oratomized in the gas of the fluid. The mixture passes fromthe chamber'24,up through the passages 25, and through the opening 35 between the twosprings. The fluid then continues its flow up through the springs'33 and34,passing along the convolutions of said springs, as has been explainedhereinbefore to effect a further admixing. When said fluid has reachedthe top of the springs, it will enter the passages 20 andthe chamber II,where 'it willagain be agitated. It then passes from the chamber II, tothe passages I8, to the bore of the lower outer end of the springoverlays a portions of the outer spring 34 and follow-the same spaces ofthe outer spring and the spaces of the e inner spring intersectV anumberof times in their upward course. Thus, the two streams flowingupwardly through'the spaces of the two springs will repeatedly contacteach other while flowing counter-currently, thereby allowing each streamto oppose the flowl of the other stream. This action on the part of thetwo streams causes theV ow to be impededand increases the resistance thechoke offers-to the well stream, whereby the choke tends to restrain theIlow of gas fromthe formation while compelling the oil to mix with'ment.

In operation the device operates in an identical l the boxV I2, and upthrough the well tubing. .It is pointed out that the chamber I'I will befull of fluid in a similar manner as chamber 24, and, obviously, uidpassing therethrough will be submitted to an atomized Vaction,wherebyoil present' and globules vwill be carried in the gaseous phase. Y

After the device has been set in the well bore for avperiod of time, itwill tend to build up a higher liquid level within said formation byreason of its choking and condensing action. Where the gas and oil areatomized a solid liquid column is not formed above the device and as aresult the flow from the well 'is not retarded and the gas thereforecarries a larger percentage of 'oil from the well so that the gas/oilratio is reduced.

In Figure 6 there is shown a modified or another form of the invention.The 'construction of this form is identical to that shownin Figure 1,with the exception of the springs 33 and34 and the blocks I4 andV 2|lBlock I4 is replaced in e the modified formrby a block 42, whichincludes u1011er and lower portions 43 and 44 respectively. The upperportion' 43 is identical to the portion I5 of the block |4.Q The lowerportion 44 is formed with hemispheres cut in its upper and lowersurfaces, the upper hemisphere being in vertical alinement with' thehemisphere formed in the portion 43, thereby completing the sphericalchamber I1. An actual passage 45 communi- Cates between the upper andlower hemispheres in the portion 44. VA block 46 is identical to theblock 2| shown in the rst form. A liner 4'I is confined between theblocks 42 and 45 and slidable within the sleeve 40. Said liner isprovided with a large central opening 48. A helical guideway 49 isslidable within said opening and surrounds an actual shaft 5I). Saidguideway is suitably secured to said shaft and to said liner, therebybeing securely held against any movemanner as `the device shown inFigure 1. y Fluid would pass up through the bean, into the lowerspherical chamber, and through the passages, and contact the exposedsurfaces of the helical guide, where it would follow the paths of saidguide; and as can be seen, said fluid will be whirled about the shaft50. It would then strike the hemisphere located in the lower surface ofthe portion 44 of the block 42 from where it would pass upwardly throughthe opening 45 and the spherical chamber l1, and through the passages oithe portion 43, out into the bore of the tubing. In this particularstructure, the ow of fluid will not be retarded to the extent that-thefluid would in the first form. It has been found desirable to use thisform on lower pressure'y wellswhere the gas orroil ratio lis small. Y

Various changes, alterations and modifications 6. A choke including, abody having a cham- Y ber therein, said chamber being provided with aconcave upper end, said body having a restricted inlet passage leadingto the lower portion of said Y chamber, whereby a well uid may beadmitted may be made in the size, shape and arrangement K of the hereindescribed elements withinthevscope of the appended claims.

What I claim andV desire to secure by VLetters Patent is:

l. A choke including,la tubular body, an insertable plug located nearthe upper end of said body having ilow passages therein and a centralchamber communicating with said passages, a plug located near the lowerend of said body having a plurality of flow passages therein said plugbeing provided with a central spherical chamber communicating with saidflow passages, and means conned between the said plugs for whirling andagitating a fluid passing therethrough.

2. A choke including, a tubular body, an insertable plug located nearthe upper end of said body having flow passages therein and a centralchamber communicating with said passages, a plug located near the lowerend of said body having a plurality of flow passages therein said plugbeing provided with a central spherical chamber communicating with saidflow passages, and

means disposed in the body intermediate the vretarding the flow of thewell stream through the choke whereby the streamsare agitated andadmixed so that gas and solution are released.

3. A choke for wells including, a body having a chamber therein, saidchamber being provided with a concave upper end, said body having arestricted inlet passage leading to the lower portion of said chamber,whereby a well fluid admitted to said chamber will be deected and agi-Atated therein by engaging the concave end and converting the oil to thegaseous phase, said bodyV having a restricted outlet leading from anarea below the upper portion of said chamber for re- Y tarding theescape of uids from said chamber, whereby the ratio of oil to gas isincreased.

4. A choke including, a housing, a plurality of spaced bodies eachhaving ar chamber therein, each chamber being provided with a concaveupper end, each of said bodies having a restricted inlet passage leadingto the lower portion of the chamber therein, whereby a well uid may beadmitted to said chamber and agitated therein, each of said bodieshaving a restricted outlet leading from the upper portion of saidchamber for releasing the escape of fluids from said chamber, wherebythe ratio of oil to gas is increased.

5. A choke including, a body having a chamber therein, said chamberbeing provided with a concave upper end, said body having a restrictedinlet passage leading to the lower portion of said chamber, whereby awell iluid. may be admitted said area, and outlet passages from saidcham-- to said chamber and agitated therein, said body having aplurality of restricted outlets leading from the concave portion of saidchamber for releasing the escape of uids from said chamber, whereby theratio of oil to gas is increased, and another agitating means providedbelow said body.

7. A choke having a chamber therein, Veach chamber being provided with aconcave upperend, each of said bodies having a restricted inlet passageleading to the lower portion of the chamberv therein,

whereby a well iluid may be admitted to said4 chamberand agitatedtherein for mixing the oil into the gaseous phase, each of said bodieshav- 8. A device for controlling the gas-oil ratio of the ilow from awell comprising a housing, an entry choke therein, a barrier in saidhousing, an atomizing chamber in said barrier, a plurality of entrypassages in said barrier leading to sai-dv chamber, a plurality ofpassages leading from j said chamber on thru said barrier, said firstand V v second passages being out of alignment to effect a turbulence insaid chamber.

9. A device for controlling the gas-oil ratio of the iiow from a wellcomprising a housing, an

entry choke therein, a barrier in said housing, an atomizing chamber insaidbarrier, a plurality Y of entry passages in said barrier leading tosaid chamber, a plurality of passages leading from said chamber on thruSaid barrier, said first and second passages being out of alignment toeiect a turbulence in said chamber, said sets of passages being inclinedrelative to the axis of said housing. l

l0. In a well flowing device having a housing' means therein to atomizethe oil and the gas being produced so that the vapor resulting therefromwill more readily ilow from the well at a lower gas-oil ratio,- saidmeans including a chamber having a concave area therein, inlet passagesY to said chamber directed to'discharge against ber leading from saidarea at a location below the elevation which receives the discharge of ithe inlet passages.

' l1. The combination in a well of a well tubing having a control devicethereon including a. housing, an entry choke therein adjacent the lowerend, a barrier in said housing above said choke, an atomizing chamber insaid barrier,y entry passages thru the barrier to said cham-` ber,discharge passages from said chamber thru FRANK w. BAUBESCHMIDT.

including, a plurality of bodies each v

